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I was banded on 15th October but I have never been on liquids. I had consomme the afternoon of the operation and a yoghurt the next morning. I can eat oatmeal/weetabix, meat and veg etc as long as it is liquidised to a yoghurt consistency. I was advised to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. hope this helps and good luck with your weight loss.

I was wondering how long people waited to have sex after being banded. My boyfriend and I are concerned with the "movement" of sex. I understand that I won't want him putting his weight on top of me. Anyone want to comment? :wub: Thanks!

It has been 2 1/2 years since I was banded. I got down to size 10 and my lowest weight was 155 lbs. My husband and I were traveling in March to May this year. I got sick with a kidney infection on our drive to Florida. My stomach got upset with my IBS and I was nauseated. My band got really tight in the middle of all that and the end result was MILKSHAKES! My stomach was so upset and my band so tight that I was living on very little food but could drink milk and milkshakes felt very comforting. They settled my stomach and filled me up. I got antibiotics when I got to Orlando but they made my stomach more upset. I was throwing up a lot and had terrible heartburn, throwing up if I laid down. I spent most nights sleeping sitting up. I was in misery. It was not caused by my band but my band got into the middle of everything. I needed a defill but was out of my country. I tried everything - bland foods, eating mushy or liquids, using antacids constantly. Nothing helped. We got home from our trip to Florida and I got more antibiotics because I felt like the infection was still there. I also got a small defill. We were leaving again only 10 days later for Hawaii for our 40th anniversary. When we got to Honolulu for the first week, I got really sick again. I was very nauseated and throwing up. My band felt very constricted again and I stopped taking my antibiotics. My stomach settled down but the band stayed very tight. When we got home from Hawaii the first week of May, I was sick again for about 4 days, vomiting and nausea. My band seemed even tighter and I could hardly eat anything. It was hard to even drink tea. My band seemed to have tightened on it's own again. Then I started having choking episodes and I felt like my stomach/pouch was up in my throat. I had a few episodes where I couldn't breathe and had to concentrate to relax my throat and let the food or drink go down so I could get my breath. I was terrified. I could not understand what was happening. It seemed like the band had slipped. I phoned and talked to my clinic and they advised me over the next few days to get a big defill. I did that and my stomach and band settled down. I had severe gas pains for about three days following the defill that doubled me over and I was in agony, pacing the floor and crying with the pain. Bandster hell. Finally that stopped. I then felt no restriction and was eating too much and too much junk. I started gaining weight and felt so upset with myself. I tried to stop overeating and watch what I was consuming but continued. I needed my band refilled. A month after my defill of 2 cc, I went back for a fill of 1 cc. that gave me back some restriction but I was still gaining weight. We had our 40th Anniversary party on Aug 7 and I felt self conscious and fat. I changed dresses to cover up my 14 lb weight gain. Other people didn't notice but I could feel the extra weight around my middle especially. I missed feeling svelte and beautiful and in control. I have had a lot of company and been too busy to spend any time on my Curves program or eating patterns. I am feeling more restriction now but have had another setback.After all the problems with my stomach, my doctor sent me for tests. One test I had on Monday this week was a barium swallow. The radiologist asked me questions before the test about what had been going on. He was not knowledgeable about lapbands but could see it in the xray. He told me that it was sitting on top of my stomach not like the picture on my lapband card I showed him. I guess my band has slipped and I am anxious to get it back to normal again before I gain too much weight. I wish I could control my eating and lose some weight through just diet. I really love my band and how wonderful it made me feel to lose all that weight in the first place. Wish me luck! :wink2::glare:

It all depends on your body. I have been on my pre op liquid diet ( my choice, surgeon says 2 weeks) since January 1st. Surgery is not until February. In 29 days I lost 25lbs and counting! My starting weight was 242.5 Good luck!

I think you will. More than likely as soon as you cut out all sugar and breads. The weight will start pouring off. My doctor would kill me for saying this but you have to go on a fad diet like the Atkins or south beach... Also talk with your doc they should have a regime they want you to follow

I didn't weigh in front of my husband EVER. Then I made the decision to have the surgery--he was already a sleever and was thrilled that I decided to do it, too. I still didn't weigh in front of him. I was getting onto the table to be rolled into surgery when HE suggested that maybe I should weigh so I would know my "before" weight. I hopped on right then---306 the morning of surgery. That's the first and only time pre-surgery that I weighed in front of him. Now, it's a morning ritual to update each other on our weight--it's a fun, flirty thing we do. I tease him that I'm trying to stay 25 pounds under him (we're super close in height with me at 6'2-1/2" and him at 6'3"--he says it's the other way around). But the point is, I don't mind now and it's become a point of celebration (among many).

I had my surgery on the 22nd of June. I've lost a good amount of weight but I still would like to lose more. I haven't been drinking my protein like I should be. Do any sleeve vets have any ideas on how to kick start some more weight loss? If I start drinking my protein shakes/water to get 60 oz a day, will that help get me going again?

I was just switched to a 3-11:30pm shift for three months. I am an animal control officer and drive around all night. I take my lunch and snacks with me, but find myself eating all night long it seems. When I was on days I ate about every 2 hours and i would stop eating around 8-9pm. Now I feel like I want to eat something every hour. I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then snacks. When I get home at midnight I eat something to make sure there is something in my stomach to take meds. I am wondering if there are others out there that are on the evening shifts and when do you eat. I am a year post op and have met my weight loss goals. At this point I am trying to maintain.

Following gastric bypass, doctors generally recommend 60g to 80g of Protein for the gals and 80g to 100g for the guys. The average adult has about a trillion cells in the body. Every single one of those cells contain protein. Remove all of the Water from your body and 75% of what's left is protein. So why is the recommended protein higher following the surgery? Protein is used extensively to repair and replace damaged tissue. Carbs are king when it comes to energy. On a regular diet, about 60% of your body's energy requirement is met by carbs. But when you're on a low carb diet, your body will metabolize protein for energy. It is common to read posts from folks who are struggling to get in their doctor's recommended protein. And in the same post learn that they are suffering from low energy. No carbs + no protein = no energy. Protein is a key player in fighting off bacterial and viral infections. Protein will help minimize lean muscle wasting during rapid weight loss. Protein will help reduce hair loss. Terry has commented on the concern of possible kidney damage related to protein intake. The question of what, if any, association exists between protein and osteoporosis remains to be answered. This link - http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/155/7/636.long - is to a 2001 paper published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Although quite technical in places, it highlights the conflicting results of various research studies. This link - http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/osteoporosis/protein-osteoporosis-prevention_5826-1.html - is to a 2011 study at Johns Hopkins which is much less technical but again stresses that results are inconclusive. And finally this link - www.who.int/.../public_health_nut8.pdf - is a study published by the World Health Organization and concludes that "...evidence of adverse consequences [from dietary protein] is lacking." At the moment, perhaps the best we can do is follow our doctor's recommendation as closely as we possibly can.

Getting the sleeve works but like any gastric surgery its a tool and not a magic bullet. There are ways to cheat your sleeve and the RYN for that matter with slider foods. I've known folks who have gotten both types of WLS and gained weight back. For the RYN you have to be over 100 lbs over. Like you before the sleeve I would eat for the sake of eating and had nothing to do with being hungry. I never really was because I always ate. About 4 weeks ago I started doing that again and I gained 7 pounds. I stared to log my food intake again and that helped me a lot. Here is what I've found; we eat for other reasons than hunger and "head hunger" is the term you see around the site best describes the feeling of wanting to eat even when you're not hungry. After surgery I didn't have the same relationship with food that I had before and I was on high for a long time. I stared going through personal stressors and guess what reared it's ugly head.....the feeling of wanting to eat, waking up and thinking what am I going to eat today....etc. Working through the mental junk is harder than any of the physical. Getting a new smaller tummy or the RYN is only one step in the weight loss journey. To bad the doctor can't take out the old tapes in your brain that tell you its okay to have that cupcake, or nothing is going to happen if you take a bite of this or that because you're in control....It always starts with just a bite and then next thing you know you've reached the bottom of the ice cream carton or there is only one slice left in the pizza box. I'm getting long winded I know. I really understand what you are going through because I've been there. I just really want to stress to you that any WLS that you choose is not the cure all. It gives you the leverage to fight the weight but you'll need to be mentally strong too to be truly successful.

Genetics are one of the reasons my weight loss goal is 180 and not lower. My family is genetically predispositioned to being overweight. I literally have TWO adult family members who are not overweight. TWO (my uncle and my cousin)! I even did one of those DNA tests a few years back and it to no surprise said I was genetically predisposed to weigh more. I think 180 is realistic. If I can lose more than that I'll be pleasantly surprised, but as long as I get to the 180 goal I'll be happy! More would just be a plus, in my mind.

or, it seems the men are able to really drop the weight!!!

Well today is my 2 year anniversary and I am so happy I did this!! It has been such a wonderful experience and I keep learning everyday. All dreams have been possible and many have been achieved. My newest is to become a triathlete in October! I am so excited for the challenge. If you are struggling or brand new - this is worth it and you can do it!!! I started at 256 in a size 22. I currently weight 135 and a size 2.

A few months ago I was asking myself the same questions and questioning my decision to take such a radical step. Also, I went through a few months of food funerals and gained back 15 pounds I'd lost while going through all of my pre-op appointments. In my appointment with the surgeon to schedule surgery, he was really pissed off at me for gaining and put me on a 3-week pre-op diet. I took that seriously and dropped 31 pounds in 3 weeks, with Thanksgiving in the middle of that. My wife and I cooked for 20 guests and I consumed 450 calories that day. From a dieting perspective, the pre-op diet was the worst part so far. The shakes made me want to barf (and still do thinking about them). Dieting post-op has been a breeze for me. It's like I don't even have to try to diet ... The restriction takes care of my over-eating and my cravings are pretty much gone. I hope this lasts long-term because I'm loving my new outlook on food.

Ok! So I have been struggling for about a month with my weight, steady at 202/200. Well, I stayed off the scale for about 2 weeks, did my routine, and had great support from family, friends and this site. Is the suspense killing you? I dropped to 194. I AM IN THE ONES NOW!!!! Thank you everyone! I appreciate you all.

Even a normal-sleeping person would have trouble sleeping with all the wires they attach to you anyway! I didn't realize how loud I snored until I went back after the sleep study to talk to the doctor--I was so embarrassed. I'm looking forward to not having to use my CPAP machine after I lose weight, but it really helps for now. I've been staying at my daughter's while she's out of town (my grandson is 15 so it's not really babysitting), and I didn't take my CPAP because I didn't want to unhook everything. I didn't realize how much difference it would make in how well I sleep.

I'm almost six years out and there's nothing I cant eat. Some people are just like that. I can eat bread, rice, Pasta. But I will say, some things are harder and I've naturally gone off them over time - bread for example. I cant even really put it into words, i can eat it, it doesnt get stuck but it doesnt feel good to eat. So I rarely eat bread - just the occasional piece of toast. Yet when I was unfilled last year for 9 months, I suddenly loved bread again, and ate it regularly - though in moderation. The minute my fill went back in, I stopped enjoying it, almost instantly. I've lost weight easily and kept it off for years simply by eating all foods, just less.

Just had my pre-op appt y'all, and after spending a decent amount of time reading all the wonderful info on this board, I'm feeling concerned/confused. I'm being banded next Thursday at Northwest Weight Loss Surgery in Everett, WA and we reviewed the post-op diet. I want to be succesful. I will follow what they tell me to do. BUT... ...they have recently revised their post-op to be: 1 week full liquids (which includes applesauce, yogurt, pudding), followed by 1 week of mushies (soft fish, scrambled eggs), then on to more solid foods. First fill at 4 weeks. I fully understand the need to have the band heal and settle in place. I'm seriously thinking of extending my phases to have an extra week of liquids and an extra week of mushies. I'll be damned if I move through things to fast just to cause issues down the road. Am I nuts??

Sounds like you are paying with insurance. I paid out of pocket for my surgery. The doc explained to me there are a lot of hoops to jump thru with insurance and also, if you are 50-75 lbs overweight they do not need you to lose weight. I had no pre-op diet or anything. I am only 60 lbs overweight though. When using insurance they need to document that you have "tried" losing weight and that this surgery is likely to work for you. Same with the smoking thing. Its all about insurance. If you were paying out of pocket none of this would matter and you would have the surgery without any requirements ( like me). It is an excellent choice, just know that it is a HUGE stuggle for many of us and as much as you read about wieght just falling off of some people.... thats not often the case. I have only lost 30 lbs in over 6 months.

NO REGRETS!!!! I was banded March 25,2006. I used to be a 40DDD bra. Now I'm a 36DD. Used to be a size 20, now a 12.Used to weight 250lbs now160lbs. Before I suffered from asthma,kneepain,backpain,shortness of breath and irregular heartbeats. And the well know syndrome: "WHAT THE HECK SHOULD I WEAR IF NOTHING FITS!!!!" every morning. Yep I too have some skin and boob "loseness" Oh but all of this is sooooo not important. Now I know my chances of "NOT" having a heart attack are better then before. Thank you Lord for second chances,for supportive people,for this new life!!!! Thank you for having a job and a roof over my head !!!!!! Well as you can see...no, no regrets here.

If you don't read the complication threads you likely won't read that people have regrets. I had serious complications that almost killed me. I am left with a stomach so small we're talking about adding a feeding tube so I can take in enough calories to live. Yes I have major regrets. Stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. I know another woman who is facing a rare complication that is forcing her to gain weight or die. Seriously, she will die without gaining weight again. Another who has long term heart damage because of the surgery. Lots of regrets out there. IF you are having this surgery you need to be sure you understand that the risks are very high. The numbers are low but the risks are not simple little issues like an extra week in bed. They are life threatening in almost every case.

Hello All, I had my vsg done on 01-17-11 so a mere 9 months ago and my new years resolution at the beginning of this year was to complete a half marathon. Yes running 13.1 miles on purpose is my goal for 2011. Well its official i finish my first half marathon today in Long Beach California. My official time was 2:25:35 which is a 11:07 average minute mile. My goal was to be under 2:30 and I made it with over 4 minutes to spare. I have always been envious of runners and my entire life I have wanted to be one. Never in my wildest bdream would I ever imagine that I would be running marathons (or should I say half marathons). I have never been this proud of my self ever and now I know that I am unstoppable once I put my mind to something. My next goal is getting to my personal goal weight which is 149 which is only about 11-12 pounds away, I am hoping to hit before my 1 year anniversary on January 17th. After that I want to conquer a full marathon which is 26.2 miles, I am thinking of Maui Hawaii in September 2012. If I believe it and I can see it then I can do it. I attached a couple of pictures from today. Thanks, Jenn

Make sure you are not consuming artificial sweeteners like Splenda. They make you crave sugar and starch. Using will make you gain weight.

I have had trouble with my foot so my exercise has really suffered. Dr. D. says you are not limited on exercise at all, not even ab workouts. He suggested that I start lifting weights and doing nonweightbearing stuff because of my foot. I have not found the motivation to start this yet. I keep thinking about it but nothing happens, lol. I need a workout partner. where do you go the gym or workout? maybe we live or work close together and can do some things together. I belong to planet fitness and also to the Ymca but I might be cancelling that soon. Its pretty far for me to drive to. Let me know if you are interested that. I think we all need to be there for each other and I have no friends in San Antonio since I am new here relatively. It sounds like you are off to a good start. The amount of protein you can eat will increase as the weeks go by. I had a hard time getting enough in and I still do but it gets better when the volume gets a bit bigger. I can now eat ALMOST three ounces of fish. yay!